The Proper Place For Nudes

I'm a little hesitant to broach this subject, but as it's come up in several conversations this week I thought I would turn to you Apartment Therapists for input. Growing up in family of artists, I encountered nude sketches in practically every room in my childhood home, and I was quite aware of how uncomfortable it made some of our visitors.

However, as I grew up and came to appreciate pieces of art as a whole rather than just for their subject matter, I became less aware of the effect it had on my friends. I thought as we matured we had all just outgrown our squeamishness.

Recently though, my artist sister, who has a few of her figure drawings displayed around her home, told me a story about a friend who referred to her house as "the one with all the naked people." Hilarious as this was, it made me realize that a nude subject probably elicits as strong— or stronger— of a reaction from adults as it does from giggling kids. And maturity doesn't seem to have much to do with the matter either. I know quite a few mature adults who find nude art inappropriate in a public area of the home like the living and dining room, arguing that they should be kept in more personal spaces like the bedroom or bath.

So coming to my point, should nude sketches be reserved for more private realms of the home, or should they be comfortably displayed wherever the spirit moves? What's your take?